Francyl Gawryn

SPIRIT AND SONG

Francyl Gawryn, Don Rodriguez

& Friends

WHEN LOVE REIGNS FREE

DARLIN’ MOON

UNDER THE BERKELEY BLUE SKY

HALF A BALLAD OF SAMUEL PEARL

CARRY THE WITNESS, HONOR THE DREAM

SWING LOW / WHEN THE SAINTS

HERE IN LATE NOVEMBER

IN THE STILLNESS

INSTEAD OF I LOVE YOU 

HAPPY, HEALTHY, WEALTHY, WISE 

JESUS ROLLED THE ROCK

WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD

ALL OF US BELONG

Francyl Gawryn’s music is available at no cost on YouTube or for purchase at www.francyl.com

All songs performed in this concert are protected by copyright.

WHEN LOVE REIGNS FREE

Oh, life is bitter, and life is dear, it flows through peace and misery,

Yet conquers death and loses fear when love reigns free.

When love we crave for our reward for service to the needy,

When measure for measure we count the score, our love dies speedily.

For love that’s taken as exchange is not love at all but barter,

And did the need for our goods change, we find ourselves the loser.

I prayed, “Dear God, please send me forth to prove myself in battle,

And show me worthy of Your love, and wear Your pride my mantle.”

“My little child, sit still,” t’was said, “Still as the stars above you,

And rest a while right here instead, and simply let me love you.

For I’ll not give my love to you for all your deeds of duty,

Nor for your strength of truth proclaimed, nor for your gifts of beauty.

But for a simple humble heart, but for the blessing of you,

I give my love for love alone, so simply let me love you.”

Oh, life is bitter and life is dear, 

It flows through peace and misery,                      

Yet conquers death and loses fear 

When love reigns free.

DARLIN’ MOON

Darlin’ moon, she does her job so well, humble and shine, reflecting 

Darlin’ moon, working hard, you can tell, up in the sky she shines so 

Remember the night when you set with the rising sun

I sat and watched you from my sleeping bag?

Sweet silver chariot carried across the sky, open my cosmic eye,

Spreading my wings to fly!

Darlin’ moon, you’re only halfway there, sparkling lady-like hemisphere.

Darlin’ moon, what secrets can you share? Unrevealed mysteries for my 

And into the sea did you flee in your chariot, I sat and watched you alone 

Up from the east came the sun with his glory bright, chasing away the 

Setting my so in flight!

Darlin’ moon, I’ll se you later on, after the sun has run his race,

Darlin’ moon, just like a child at play, behind the skirts of night you hide 

And yet in a while will you smile at the setting sun, I’ll sit and watch you 

Shrouded in majesty, bright in tranquility, half in dark mystery,

Round like infinity!

UNDER THE BERKELEY BLUE SKY

I took a walk past the old house the other day

The place was empty, everyone had moved away

The yard was overgrown and weeds were everywhere

Somehow, it’s just the same, known by another name

I walk through empty rooms, around the posts and up the stairs,

The echo of familiar voices hanging in the air,

Remembering places, faces, times that we all share,

Dinner on the table, laughter in the air,

Suddenly I realized, there is no distance, space or time 

In these memories of mine!

Under the Berkeley blue sky in just the blink of an eye!

I pulled out my guitar and sang a song for her,

And, Oh, My Mother Universe, she sang back to me,

It felt so sweet to fill those spaces with my voice again,

For those few moments, you all were there with me.

A little older, a few more years, 

A little wiser, a few more tears,

A little kinder, a little braver,

A little better, for the hopes, dreams and fears that we all shared.

Under the Berkeley blue sky, in just the blink of an eye!

HALF A BALLAD OF SAMUEL PEARL

I found a day in the city, there were street cars and noon whistles blowing,

Got lost in a house of believe it or not, and a kiss on a Chinatown corner,

After bread crumbs and blackbirds and a walk on the wharf,

An old sea gently whispering the sway ‘neath our feet,

We shopped for the fine scent of far eastern flowers

Forgetting the charms of San Francisco.

We rode for a mile or more on a cable car, the bell rang in time to the afternoon rhythm

And the people on the sidewalk all danced to the music of a colorful day by the bay,

With monks on the corner, Hari Krisna the message, we chanted our way down orient streets

And with chopsticks and teacups and crepe paper dragons, we drank deep the charms of San Francisco.

There’s an old man who sits in Ghirardelli Square and he plays violin day by day,

His eyes tell the story of the lower east side where he stood on street corners and he played

His bow sings for pennies or nickles or dimes which your pockets might freely surrender,

And his fingers dance lightly over the strings of his violin, telling tales of San Francisco.

If you happen to meet him, won’t you mention my name and tell him I’ll see him again,

Please listen closely to his violin as he plays in the night all alone,

And spare him the time and the change that you can, his violin is in need of new strings,

Yet his music is golden, his music is pure as a day in San Francisco. 

CARRY THE WITNESS, HONOR THE DREAM

Carry the witness, honor the dream, carry the witness, honor the dream,

Carry the witness, honor the dream. . .

There is an echo crying out to be heard

If you stop for a moment, you can hear every word

There are voices who’ve been silent for years

You can now hear them calling, if you listen, you’ll hear.

A civil war is raging in our hearts and in our homes

When love is lost, we all pay the cost

And the silence tears us apart!

There is a vision that waits to be seen

It lives in your wisdom and in our childrens’ dreams

There is an answer that longs to be told,

That needs you to witness, to be silent no more!

Our vision is the echo of a world we long to see,

It sings within our dearest dreams and longs to set our children free!

Please don’t turn away now, we need you to know

How your voices can bring us healing and hope!

Carry the witness, honor the dream,

When love has won, our witness is done, our vision is seen!

When love has won, our witness is done, our vision is seen!

Carry the witness, honor the dream  . . .

HERE IN LATE NOVEMBER

The dark days gather early now, there’s rain upon my window.

The winter mists come stealing round as daylight greets my pillow,

These days are a time for mourning, while the world remembers,

I remember mourning you, here in late November.

Your photograph is o the wall with your little family.

A hundred years and more have passed since it was taken.

For half those years, I’ve seen your face glowing like an ember,

I remember seeing you here in late November.

Thank you for the music, thank you for the song, 

Thank you for the laughter, though it didn’t last for long,

Thank you for your caring. It was the best that you could render,

I remember knowing you, here in late November,

My girls are grown and married now. I have grandchildren too.

And as the years come circling round, my thoughts come back to you,

I’ll tell them all the stories, all the stories I remember,

I remember life with you, here in late November

Thank you for the music, thank you for the song,

Thank you for the laughter, though it didn’t last for long,

Thank you for your caring, it was the best that you could render,

I remember loving you, here in late November,

I remember loving you, here in late November.

IN THE STILLNESS

In the stillness there is life, though the chaos swarms around me 

There is peace amid the strife, and Your presence surrounds me

Like a gentle rain, bringing me home again

In the stillness!

In the stillness there is peace, though the mind runs in confusion

And I only seek release from the winning and the losing,

There You comfort me with your tranquility

In the stillness!

In the stillness You are here, blessing every single moment

Whispering so very near, though I didn’t even know it,

How You’re there for me, calling quietly,

Waiting patiently, for me to be

In the stillness there with you, any time of night or day,

Your love comes smiling through, though I wander and I lose my way

I’m never alone, for far from home

In the stillness!

In the stillness You are here, blessing every single moment

Whispering so very near, though I didn’t even know it,

How You’re there for me, calling quietly,

Waiting patiently, for me to be

In the stillness there with you, any time of night or day,

Your love comes smiling through, though I wander and I lose my way

I’m never alone, for far from home

In the stillness!

JESUS ROLLED THE ROCK

I suffered hopelessness, grief and despair,

My life was a prison, couldn’t get anywhere,

The rock at the entrance of my tomb of defeat

Could not me moved, my death seemed complete.

But early one morning, on that glorious day,

Jesus rolled the rock! He rolled the rock away!

On Calvary’s summit, that dark mournful day

Death and despair stole our hopes away,

Who could have imagined on a bright Sunday morn,

That death could be broken and new life reborn!

Jesus rolled the rock! He rolled the rock away!

He answered my call with the light of His day!

He rescued my soul, set this prisoner free!

Jesus rolled the rock and gave life back to me!

When darkness surrounds you, all blessings have flown,

You’re trapped and afraid in a tomb of your own,

Let your voice pierce the heavens through the darkness and pray

And Jesus will come and roll the rock away!

Jesus rolled the rock! He rolled the rock away!

He answered my call with the light of His day!

He rescued my soul! Set this prisoner free!

Jesus rolled the rock and gave life back to me!

Jesus rolled the rock and gave life back to me!